Rivals
by Gamma Orionis
Summary: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned... especially when she's Bellatrix
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Where did Nagini come from? What's so special about her? Why is Voldemort so attached to her? This is my theory. Takes place during the first war, before Harry. This story is gratuitously violent, so if you don't like that, there are other stories you should be reading instead (It's rare for me to write something this violent. It's self-imposed therapy, and let no more be said on the matter). Voldemort's somewhat out of character, but I think nailed Bellatrix (and her mental "issues") this time…

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter universe in any way.

The Dark Lord looked up lazily. Bellatrix, standing in his doorway with her sheer black robe drawn about her, dropped her head.

"Ah, Bella," he said, sitting up in bed. "You may go back to Rodolphus. I have no need of your services tonight."

Before she even saw the nude woman untangling herself from the sheets, Bellatrix knew what had happened. Nagini had gotten to the Dark Lord first. That temptress had beaten her to the Dark Lord's bed once again, and there was nothing Bellatrix could do about it.

"I should go too, my Lord," Nagini purred, sliding her slender body along the Dark Lord as she climbed out of bed. "Good night."

Bellatrix clenched her teeth and forced herself to smile at the whore who had stolen the Dark Lord from her. Nagini didn't deserve the Dark Lord. What had Nagini _ever_ done for him outside of the bedchamber? She was no Death Eater; she had brazenly refused the Mark. She did not cater to the Dark Lord's wishes. Not like Bellatrix, who took pleasure in submitting to her Lord. Not like Bellatrix, who bore the Dark Mark with pride, and would not dream of defying the Dark Lord.

"Coming, Bella?" asked Nagini, pulling on a robe and slithering past her into the hallway. Bellatrix followed, knowing she had no choice. The Dark Lord did not want her that night, and she was powerless to do anything about it.

The two women walked some ways towards their respective bedrooms, and then Nagini broke the silence.

"You know why he doesn't want you?"

Bellatrix flushed with anger and ignored the other woman.

"It's because he knows he can have you," Nagini continued, after it became clear that Bellatrix was not going to answer her. "He knows he can have you, any time, any place, any _way_ he chooses. All he has to do is nod, and you give yourself up for him. There's no chase, no excitement, no _passion_. You ought to defy him more often."

"He is the Dark Lord!"

"All the same, he is a man. And every man loves a chase. They love to be teased, love to try to take something just outside their reach."

"That's what you do, is it?" Bellatrix exclaimed scornfully. "You tease him? Well let me tell you, it won't be long before he becomes irritated with that act, and then it will be death for you."

"You're so morbid," Nagini commented.

"I have good reason to be. Why are you telling me this in any case?"

"Because I am fond of the chase too. Where's the fun if I know I can always have the Dark Lord? Competition is a healthy thing, Bellatrix."

"You are disgusting. Now leave me alone, I don't have time to waste on you."

"As if you ever do anything but whore for every man that will have you!"

Bellatrix snapped.

"All right." She turned on Nagini, painting a false smile onto her face. "Do you want to know what I do with my spare time? I can show you."

"Why not?" Nagini, not the least intimidated, smirked and lolled against the wall. "Could be interesting. Yeah, show me."

"All right," Bellatrix hissed again, advancing. "But I won't do it unless you swear never to tell anyone."

"Fine," said Nagini.

"Swear it!" Bellatrix's eyes glinted madly. "Make the unbreakable vow!"

"What do you do that's this much of a secret, go to Muggle clubs?" Nagini laughed at her own joke and held out her hand. Bellatrix grasped it and held her wand over it.

"Do you, Nagini, swear never to tell of the events of this night?"

"I do."

"To anyone, not even the Dark Lord?"

"I do."

"For all your life, and in death, and after death, for all eternity?"

Nagini raised her eyebrows. "Yeah. I do."

Bellatrix held the other woman's hand tightly for a second, then dropped it, and made for the door.

"So, where are we going?" Nagini asked, following.

"You'll see."

"It had better be somewhere fun."

"_I_ think it's very fun."

The night was pleasantly cool, with a light breeze.

"Shouldn't we have put on proper clothing?" Nagini asked, hugging her fine robe around her. Bellatrix didn't respond as she led the way out onto the street.

Nagini followed Bellatrix some half-block away, to a small green patch secluded by trees.

"_This_ is where you wanted me to come?" Nagini's lip curled in disgust. "Why?"

Bellatrix, who had stepped into the shade, beckoned Nagini closer. When she too was hidden in the shadows, Bellatrix grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her up against a tree.

Nagini laughed. "I had no idea you were that way, Bella!" But she was silenced when Bellatrix hit her as hard as she could across her face.

Nagini cried out, and held her hand to her smarting cheek. But scarcely had she raised a hand when Bellatrix's fist connected with the side of her skull, and sent her stumbling, dropping to the ground.

In a second, Bellatrix was on top of her, hitting her across the face repeatedly. All the anger she had felt towards this whore who had stolen the Dark Lord away from her was unleashed, and she channeled it into beating Nagini senseless.

"You bitch!" Nagini screamed, as she felt her nose shatter.

"The-Dark-Lord-is-mine!" Bellatrix shouted, punctuating each word with a blow. "You-will-never-touch-him-again!"

"Get off!"

The next blow fell on Nagini's mouth, and her teeth came down hard on her tongue.

Bellatrix found it exquisite, intoxicating, to cause pain this way. No spells to aid her, only her own hands, beating the hated woman's face bloody. Nagini was making muffled noises through a mouthful of blood, and the sound of her pain was beautiful music to Bellatrix's ears.

She grabbed a hank of Nagini's shining hair and tugged, wrenching another scream from her mouth.

"Do you scream like that when it's the Dark Lord on top of you?" Bellatrix snarled, hammering her fist on Nagini's face. "Or are you silent all the way through, hmm? Bitch!"

Nagini shrieked one more time, and Bellatrix grabbed both side of her head and squeezed.

"Die, whore," Bellatrix snarled, and twisted, relishing the sound of Nagini's neck snapping.


	2. Chapter 2

She stared for a long time at the mangled body, and then stood up, the image of calm, collected dignity. She walked back to the house, her heart beating wildly from the excitement of destroying Nagini's perfect body.

It was time to put her acting talent to work. Forcing tears into her eyes, she ran up he path and flew inside, sprinting for the Dark Lord's bedroom. She hammered at his door, and when it swung open, she threw herself into his arms.

"My Lord!" she sobbed. "Oh, my Lord, please help! Nagini and I were out– and then– the aurors– oh, please help!"

"What is it, Bella?" The Dark Lord took her head in his hands and lifted it. "Why are you all bloody?"

"Nagini and I –" Bellatrix gasped, "were out for a walk– she said she wanted to cool off after you– and then– the aurors came– she said– to go get you– oh, please help!"

"You left her alone with aurors?" His crimson eyes widened, horrified.

"She said she would be all right! She said to get help! Please, I don't know what to do!"

"Take me to her," the Dark Lord said, and Bellatrix heard a note of fear in his voice.

She led him at a run to the clearing where she had left Nagini, and when his wand light fell across her, Bellatrix screamed as though in horror at seeing her this way.

"Oh Merlin!" she wailed. "Nagini! Oh, Nagini!"

The Dar Lord was crouching over her already, Bellatrix and her distress forgotten.

"Go home, Bella," he said, and, wracked still with false sobs, she left. It was only when she was back in her bedchamber, the blood washed from her skin, and Rodolphus's comforting form lying next to her, that she let the true tears fall. Because even with a shattered face and broken neck, even covered in blood and even in death, she knew that the Dark Lord still thought Nagini more beautiful than her.

)O(

"It was all I could do," the Dark Lord whispered, staring at the snake curled on the hearth. "I couldn't save her. It was all I could do. Her soul is safe in that creature, but her body, her beautiful body…"

"You did admirably, my Lord," Bellatrix murmured, resting her head upon his shoulder. "I am relieved that her soul, at least, is still for this world"

"Yes." He stroked her hair. "Thank Merlin for that."

With that, he drew her astride him, kissed her, let tears of anger at the loss of his favored mistress fall. Bellatrix was beautiful, exquisite, and skilled, but she was not Nagini. She would never be Nagini.

He moaned, enjoying the pliable comfort that Bellatrix offered. Where Nagini had been exciting and intoxicating, Bellatrix was warm and gentle. Being in her arms was like what he imagined it would be like to be held by a mother.

Nagini, trapped in the body of the snake, raised her head and glared at Bellatrix, with the Dark Lord where she, Nagini belonged.

The Dark Lord's back arched, and he collapsed backwards, Bellatrix falling across him. He twined his arms around her, pulled her close, kissed her on the mouth.

"Beautiful Bella," he whispered in her ear. "My beautiful, sweet Bella."

She could only sigh and press kisses to his face and neck.

After a long silence, Bellatrix whispered, "My Lord?"

"Yes?"

"Has Nagini told you who did this to her?"

"No," he murmured, pressing her to him. "She won't say. She won't say."

The Dark Lord did not see the smile that twisted Bellatrix's pretty face at those words.

She had known that the unbreakable vow would be a wise precaution.

)O(

Fin

A/N: If you haven't seen it already, I've extended/rewritten this story. The rewrite is called "Rivalry". If you liked this, Rivalry is a more in-depth look at the characters, especially Nagini


End file.
